Car-coupling



(No Model.)

R. L. MUNSON.

GA-R COUPLING. N0.480,1 18. Q Patented Aug. 2, 1892.

fi? i if g Fit ig /N VENTOI? WITNESSES A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT L. MUNSON, OF SILVER CITY, TERRITORY OF NEWV MEXICO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,118, dated August 2, 1892.

Application filed January 18, 1892. Serial No. 418,487. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT LEONIDAS MUN- SON, of Silver City, in the county of Grant and Territory of New Mexico, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Y My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplers, and has for its object to simplify the construction of such devices and to provide means whereby the draw-heads at both ends of a car will be connected and the same tension device be used for both.

{another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby the cars may be uncoupled from the top or from either side, and whereby, also, when the draw-head is held in its uncoupled position and two cars are brought together the shock will cause the draw-heads toassume the proper position for coupling, thus rendering the coupling of cars automatic.

The invention consists in the novel constructlon and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, 1n which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a bottom plan View of a car, illustrating the application of the improved coupler thereto, one of the draw-heads and the tension device being in section. Fig. 2 is an end view of a car and a front elevation of the draw-head applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the draw-heads. Fig. et is a side elevation of the tension mechanism. Fig. 5 is atransverse section taken practically on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, showing the tension mechanism in end view; and Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken through the drawbar of the draw-head substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

The draw-head A constitutes an integral portion of the draw-bar B. The draw-bar where it connects with the draw-head is curved laterally and reduced in cross-section, and the head A extends beyond one side of this neck, as shown best in Fig. 1, the outer or front face of the head being made cylindric or convexed, whereby the head constitutes virtually a hook extension of the drawbar. The head has formed laterally therein the usual link-opening 10 and is provided with a vertical aperture 11 to receive a couplingpin. This link-opening and pin-aperture are only brought into action when the coupler is employed to couple with an opposed coupler of the link-and-pin type, as the coupler illustrated in the drawings is of the hook type, and the heads of two opposed couplers in coupling are adapted to interlock.

The draw-bar is held to slide between timbers 12, located at suitable distances apart, one at each side of the center of the car-bottom. These timbers are secured to the carbottom in any suitable or approved manner and extend from end to end of the car. The draw-head is normally held in a position to couple with an opposed coupler by a spring 13 of any approved pattern, secured to the inner face of one of the timbers 12 and having a bearing against the contiguous face of the draw-bar, as shown at the right in Fig. 1, and as the draw-bar is capable of sliding movement between the timbers 12 a longitudinal slot or channel 14. is produced in that face of the draw-bar against which the spring has bearing, so that in the movement of the draw-bar the spring will not be forced out of engagement with it. The two drawheads are adapted to be connected, one by a rod 15 and the other by a rod 16, with a tension device 0, located at the center of the car, which tension device is also held to slide between the timbers 12.

The tension device consists of a cylinder 17, closed at one end and open at the other. The cylinder is provided at opposite sides of each head with lugs or extensions 18, which lugs or extensions are adapted to fit and to slide in slots 19, produced in the side beams 12, as shown in Fig. 4. The rod 15, connected with one of the draw-bars, passes through an opening in one of the heads and is capped at its inner extremity in any suitable or approved manner. A spring 20 is located within the cylinder, through which the rod 15 passes, and

this spring has bearing against one head of the cylinder and against the cap of the rod, as shown in Fig. 1. The other rod 16, connected with the opposite draw-bar, is bifurcated at its inner end, and the members of said rod are connected in any suitable or approved manner with the extensions of the cylinder, as is also shown in Fig. 1. Thus one of the draw-bars, through the medium of the rod 16, will exert tension directly upon the cyllnder-head when coupled cars are drawn forward, while the opposite rod 15 will be subgected to the action of a spring-cushion and the cushion, being located in the manner descr1bed,will act equally upon the connectingrods of both of the draw-bars.

At each end of the car alever21 is fulcru med near 1ts lower end upon the sill of the car or any point adjacent to the sill. This lever is connected at its lower extremity by a link 22 with the under portion of the draw-bar at that end of the car, the connection being effected by forming lugs 23 upon the lower face of the draw-bar to receive the link. These levers 21 are adapted to engage with a keeper 24. This keeper is so constructed that when in the coupled position the lever will engage with one side of itthat is, the side nearest the outer end of the car. When an uncoupling is to be eifected, the lever 21 is carried in direction of the center of the car, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and engages with the inner end of the keeper, therebyforcin g the draw-bar and drawhead away from the head, interlocking with it. This lever extends upward to the top of the car and may be expeditiously and conveniently manipulated from that point, and it the operator is at the side of the car nearest to the lever 21 it may be manipulated by the operator grasping the lever at or near its center-that is, preferably above the keeper. In order that an uncoupling may be effected at the opposite side of the car, a draw-rod 25 is connected with each of the levers 21, as shown also in Fig. 2, and the lever 21 may be carried over to uncouple cars by simply drawing either of the rods 25 outward to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2.

It will be observed that one spring-cushion or spring-tension device is employed for both of the draw-heads and draw-bars and that through the medium of this device the two draw-heads and draw-bars are connected. In

the event that the draw-heads are carried to the uncoupling position through the manipulation of either of the levers 21 or the drawrods 25, should it be necessary to eflt'ect a coupling with a car having its draw-head in this position, when the two cars are brought together the shock incident to such a connec tion will disengage the lever 21 from the keeper 24, in engagement with which it is locked, and permit it to assume its normal position (shown in positive lines, Fig. 2)that is, a direction adjacent to the side of the carand the two draw-heads will at that time antomatically interlock.

This coupling is exceedingly simple, durable, and eifective, and is applicable to any car, freight or passenger, and is capable of being applied in an economic manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a carcoupler, the combination, with parallel slotted guides and the cylinder 17 therebetween, provided with lugs 18 18 at opposite sides of its ends, sliding in said slots, and the spiral spring within the cylinder, of the sliding draw-heads, a rod extending from one draw-head through the closed end of the cylinder and through the spring and there provided with a head or cross-piece, and a rod connecting the other draw-head with the 0pposite end of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the longitudinal parallel beams 12 12,slotted midway of their ends, a cylinder 17, having lugs 18 sliding in said slots, and a spiral spring within the cylinder, of the d raw-heads mounted to slide longitudinally and laterally between the outerends of the beams, aspring between each draw-head and one beam to hold said draw-head against the opposite beam, a rod 15, extending from one draw-head through the closed end of the cylinder, through the spring therein and provided with a head bearing on the spring, and a rod 16, connecting the otherdraw-head with the opposite end of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

ROBERT L. MUNSON.

Witnesses:

W. McNEFF, R. G. CLARKE. 

